Playhouses - what's in yours then....!?

[poppyseed]

We've just ordered a new playhouse for DD (nearly 7) and DS (just 3). As they are clearly different ages/sizes/sex we've gone for a big one with a loft and lots of windows and is about 6'x8'(!).
I'm getting carried away with myself and thinking of putting a carpet offcut down and making some little curtains.....even thinking about beanbags/play kitchen/sleeping bags etc but thought that I'd ask trusty mumsnetters before I go off and spend any more money!
What do you have in your playhouse? What works/doesn't work - any help/inspiration greatly received!

Um... lawnmower, strimmer, leaf vacuum, sun lounger, paddling pool, toys and the HUGEST spiders int he world :o

we have had a tenant in ours over the winter.. a mousey got in but couldn't get out. Ate a suprising amount of stuff during his sojurn. Store toys etc in plastic boxes with lids, I have lots of things in drawstring fabric bags.. now with mouse holes. Keep door closed at night and during winter!

Well we have just done our up!!

When we got it about 3 or 4 years ago it had a small IKEA table and chairs, a cupbaord painted to look like a cooker and a small IKEA toy box. I put up mini gingham curtains too, just stapled fabric to frames and tied it back. Now my girls are 5 and 7 they wanted to 'do it up' into a chill out room. So we have painted it the palest blossom white (pink) put a rag rug on the floor, added new pink organza curtains - still just stapled and tied (£2,99 a m, 2.5 m needed) and a big fake fur cushion. We need some more cushions, but teh table/chairs are still there (we are going to paint them pink too) and a mirror has been put up. They have a windchime thingy too.

Total cost £7.70 fabric, £12 paint, other stuff in house. DD's want a CD player in there, but batteries get used up too quick, so we will use an extesion lead if necessary.

Looks really fab and they play in it A LOT in teh summer, it is their room. I expect in a few years to paint it gothic purple and have black curtains!!! Along with floor cushions they will get told to use it if they want privicy :)

ours wuill have (stil not put together), curtains, one wall black(pink)baorded with some blackboard paint i got ages ago. fairy decorations, table and chairs, maybe one of the egg swivel chairs as well. will hopefully put yp the shelves with some old wood to put pens etc on in tubs.

Ours is fitted out very nicely and cost next to nothing:

carpet squares on the floor (free)
red/white gingham curtains (made by my mum)
childrens plastic table and chairs (very cheap)
huge blackboard (bought blackboard paint and used leftover wood and emulsion paint)
inflatable childs chair (already had)
bedside table/cupboard (from my Gran)
small set of wall shelves (from my Gran)
Lots of toys

The children (mine and visiting ones ) love it. The blackboard is very popular especially when they play schools or cafes. The curtains are fun as they love to close them to hide away. Things like shelves and cupboards are great for storing small things or for rearranging stuff to make it "homely". DD regularly takes out bits and pieces to the playhouse to decorate it.

WOW, some great ideas thanks - anyone else?

Poppyseed - can I ask which you've ordered? I think the Snowdrop is too small - dd1 can't walk under loft mezzanine bit and would like an 8x6 ish one. DH thinks the snowdrop is way too big (it's 7x5) so it's going to be a toughie.

Love the sound of the update Crunchie.

I've ordered one called Candy Lodge from Metro Buildings Funhouse Range stocked by our local garden centre. It includes an upper bunk, decorative dormer and two side windows in the same panel. I dare say we could have got one a little cheaper on line but we could see the quality of these and could tell what we were getting if you know what I mean! We paid £619 (btw)

My DD and DS love theirs. It has pale pink walls, bluey lilac carpet and lilac voile curtains. Inside is the old cot mattress covered with material as a bed, a bean bag, a dolls cot and assorted cushions. DD's dolls pram and all the doll paraphenalia lives in there too as well as the box of "shop" stuff, and the chalk board.

I bring the dolls and all the cushions in over the winter so they don't get damp though.

It also has wooden butterflies on the windows (clever grandad - who also built the wendy house), a weather vane, a wind chime and their initials carved in wood outside. Flower pots either side of the front door too.

I'd love to live in it! It is a godsend. They love playing in it and we often sit out there and eat a picnic tea!

forgot to mention the fairy stickers inside, framed pictures of the kids (ikea cheap frames painted) and a clock!

home from home

\link{http://www.apgate.org/maps/12/24/584.htm\no website but this may help with a catalogue!}

must get one of those this summer

Thanks. Sounds lovely.

cat64 - you mention it got infested with spiders. does yours have those plastic windows in it, or are the windows open? i'd have thought getting one with windows in would eliminate this problem but i could be wrong.

ditto Soup Dragon. Ds hasn't noticed it's a playhouse yet - we've told him it's a shed